Score: 2.5/5
Nicholas Sparks is at it again with another tear-jerking film adaption of one of his famous romance novels, which means viewers should prepare for sniffles and a few whistles.
Sparks’ “The Longest Ride” came to life under the direction of George Tillman Jr., and like most of his stories, this one is sure to tug on the heartstrings of any movie-goer. While the film isn’t the next “The Notebook,” it still follows that classic Sparks formula — a lot of love, drama and plot twists.
This creates a problem that’s been consistent throughout Sparks’ career. If viewers think about it, every movie faces the same kind of struggles with the same good looking characters.
As far as the storyline goes, it’s pretty predictable. Apprehensive, mild-mannered sorority girl Sophia Danko, played by Britt Robertson, ventures out with her sorority sisters to a local rodeo where she inevitably locks eyes with bull-riding babe Luke Collins, played by Scott Eastwood. From there, the two stumble into a relationship, but for how long is unknown. Danko has an internship lined up at a New York art gallery, and Collins is determined to conquer the bull that nearly ended both his career and life.
The two struggle to mesh their opposite worlds, but in the meantime, the audience is treated to an awkward montage of bull riding, romance, longing stares and ridiculously large belt buckles, but then again, the story does feature a cowboy.
Unlike most of Sparks’ stories, this one offers a “two for the price of one” deal. At the end of their first date, Collins and Danko rescue an older man and his mysterious box of letters from his crashed vehicle. Danko befriends the man, Ira Levinson, played by Alan Alda, and spends time reading the letters he wrote to his wife, Ruth, while he’s recovering.
Each letter is matched with a flashback chronicling Ira and Ruth’s relationship and marriage decades earlier. Young Ira, played by Jack Huston, and Ruth, played by Oona Chaplin, build their love story around their admiration for one another and Ruth’s passion for art.
This proves itself to be true with the majority of the relationships in the film. Viewers may find themselves rooting for the movie’s other friendships and love stories when Collins and Danko’s drama gets to be too much, at least until the ending, which ties itself and each story up quite nicely.
“The Longest Ride” is a sweet and sappy romance, no doubt, and the cast, which features a few relatively new names, puts on a good show and isn’t half bad to look at. If viewers are looking for Sparks’ signature style, it certainly shines through. The film won’t be winning an Oscar soon, but it’s a feel-good feature.
You can reach Greta Jines on Twitter @TheGretaJines.